8 Steps to a Successful Blood Drive

1. Twelve weeks prior to the blood drive:

1. Secure a date and time for your blood drive:
   1. Make sure the date you choose does not coincide with other local drives or lodge activities.
   2. Saturday drives are more convenient and more donors have free time to donate on a Saturday.
   3. Contact the local blood collection agency of your choice. Work with a Recruiting Rep to secure the date and time.
2. Select an appropriate site for your blood drive:
   1. The site should have high visibility to the public, first floor access for donors, equipment and staff, ample parking, be well lighted, have tile floors, bathrooms within 75’ of draw area and be temperature controlled between 68 and 72 degrees.  Lodges are the preferred location, but if your Lodge does not meet these criteria, other locations will be considered, as long as the blood drive is top-billed as a Masonic Blood Drive.
3. Set measurable goals:
   1. Establish a reasonable goal. Don’t set yourself up for failure!
   2. The blood collection agency Recruiting Rep will help in setting goals for your blood drive and should take steps to invite donors from eligible local donor groups to your blood drive.
4. Complete and submit the application for approval of MB+ODP charitable funds distribution.

2. Eight weeks prior to the blood drive:

1. Establish your team! Most Important!
   1. Choose 4 or 5 Brothers who are go getters!
   2. Meet with and motivate your team!
   3. Choose a Masonic 501(c)(3)Charity (Job’s Daughters, Rainbow Girls/DeMolay, Masonic Charities, Friend-to-Friend, Amaranth or Eastern Star charities) and get them involved.
   4. Educate your team on the complete blood donation process, so they can then confidently answer any questions potential donors might have.
   5. Assign specific roles to team members:
      1. Phone contacts
      2. Distribution of flyers.
      3. Visit with local organizations (churches, schools, government organizations, and first responders, military, fraternal or benevolent organizations) and secure their help to promote the blood drive. Your Lodge members all have ties to these local organizations. Leverage their membership or affiliation with these groups to recruit for your blood drive.
      4. Ask potential donors face to face.
2. Start promoting the drive in your Lodge and among the other Lodges in your District that can help support it.
3. Order day of drive MB+ODP banner and lawn signs.

3. Four weeks prior to the blood drive:

1. Publicize your blood drive:
   1. Utilize social media, Facebook, Twitter. If you have a youth organization working with you on the blood drive, ask them to manage this for you.
   2. Distribute flyers to all local: Fire departments, VFW’s, American Legion’s, local businesses… etc.
   3. Attend Lodges, announce the drive, ask for donation appointments, and for their help in publicizing the drive.
2. Ask donors face to face.
3. Include a flyer or an envelope stuffer about the blood drive in your monthly Lodge Notice.
4. Schedule appointments on line or on paper, then transfer paper appointments to the on line portal for the blood collection agency.

4. Two weeks prior to the blood drive:

1. Utilize Call-Em-All and ask the brethren to “Save the Date.”

5. Five days prior to the blood drive:

1. Contact donation center and verify arrival times of staff and equipment.
2. Utilize Call-Em-All to remind the brethren of the drive.
3. Confirm drive day volunteers and their arrival time.
4. Contact donors and confirm appointments.
5. Print an appropriate number of MB+ODP new member forms.

6. Two days prior to the blood drive:

1. Utilize another Call-Em-All to remind the brethren of the drive.

7. Day of the blood drive:

1. Arrive early (wearing your MB+ODP red polo shirt) and greet staff, help with set up, and attend to any last minute details.
2. Post directional arrows, posters and banners.
3. Post a greeter from your Lodge at the front door and personally thank donors as they arrive.
4. Sign brethren up for the Masonic Blood Program and ask donors for permission to use their donation for substitute member.
5. Take photos of your blood drive and send to your MB+ODP representative.

8. After the blood drive:

1. Thank donors. Recognize and thank donor groups in your community that contributed to your success.
2. Post results in your Lodge and in your monthly Notice. Distribute results to supporting donor groups.
3. Recognize all team members and thank them for their help.
4. Contact the blood collection agency and schedule next blood drive!
5. Submit results to MB+ODP for charitable funds distribution.